New Release Round-up,
Jazz New Release Round-Up - 18th October 2024
This week's highlights include Aaron Parks's return to Blue Note with Little Big III, showcasing his talents as pianist and composer, alongside his band, Little Big; on her project Satori Josephine Davies explores fresh harmonic territories, while the jazz trio Pentadox are captured in all of their live glory on As If It Were Tomorrow. Renowned Norwegian musicians Sidsel Endresen, Jan Bang, and Erik Honore present live remixes on Punkt Live Remixes Vol. 2, while on a blues tip Guy Davis’s The Legend of Sugarbelly offers a fresh take on blues storytelling. Sun Ra's Strange Strings gets a reissue - certainly one of the Arkestra's more out-there releases (and it's a crowded field), and an experimental masterpiece. Plus there are some choice reissues from Blue Note: Donald Byrd's Royal Flush, and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers's A Night in Tunisia.
Pianist Aaron Parks is back at Blue Note, where he first caught our attention with his 2008 album Invisible Cinema. His new release, Little Big III, marks the third studio album with his band Little Big, which includes the always-expressive Greg Tuohey on guitar, bassist David Ginyard Jr., and the incredible Jongkuk Kim on drums. Co-produced with Don Was, this is a masterclass in concise, emotionally-charged writing and empathetic playing.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Like the changing seascapes of Josephine Davies’ Shetland roots, her Satori project offers a dynamic, ever-evolving musical experience. 'Weatherwards' draws inspiration from her birthplace, blending her unique compositions with free-flowing improvisation. Joined by pianist Alcyona Mick, the band explores new harmonic textures while staying true to Satori’s adventurous spirit.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Pentadox, a jazz trio with Bram De Looze on piano, Sylvain Debaisieux on sax, and Samuel Ber on drums, is back with their second album. As If It Were Tomorrow captures all the frisson of a live recording, with the audience’s energy really adding something special to the music.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Renowned Norwegian musicians Sidsel Endresen, Jan Bang, and Erik Honore offer up this collaborative album, featuring live remixes from the Punkt Festival and various international performances. Endresen’s groundbreaking vocal improvisation meets the pioneering live remixing of Bang and Honore. Punkt Live Remixes Vol. 2 includes remixes of artists like Jon Hassell, Three Trapped Tigers, and Ensemble Modern.
Available Format: CD
Available Format: Vinyl Record
Remastered with bonus tracks, Strange Strings is an outlier in Sun Ra's catalog. It is both primitive and sophisticated, brutal yet sensitive. Sun Ra gave exotic string instruments to his Arkestra, who had no idea how to play them—a deliberate experiment. This expanded edition includes five tracks and essays by Irwin Chusid and David Toop. Background music this ain't!
Available Format: CD
Available Format: Vinyl Record
Excitement surrounds the release of The Legend of Sugarbelly, Guy Davis's long-awaited follow-up to his 2021 Grammy-nominated album Be Ready When I Call You. With 10 original songs and three powerful covers, Davis showcases his blues storytelling and instrumental mastery.
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Royal Flush is a classic album by trumpeter Donald Byrd, featuring Herbie Hancock's first appearance on Blue Note. Released in 1961, the album showcases Byrd's innovative style alongside a stellar lineup, including bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Elvin Jones. With its mix of hard bop and modal jazz, Royal Flush highlights Byrd's skilful compositions and Hancock’s emerging talent.
Available Format: Vinyl Record
Classic hard bop session with a horn section made up of a young Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter. Blakey shows off his astonishing drum skills as well.
Available Format: Vinyl Record
Matt Groom - Head of Jazz
